This is 'BATTLE OF THE BANDS' ('BOTB') where you listen to different recordings of the same song and vote for the one you like best. A new Battle gets posted on the 1st and 15th of each month and six days later, on the 7th and 21st, I place my own vote, tally 'em all up and announce the winner.

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Friend? Foe? Stranger? No matter, ALL are welcome. So pull up a chair, pour yourself 24 oz. of DOG BITE High Gravity Lager (or the poison of your choice) and turn it up to Eleven!

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[NOTE: Links to the first year of 'BOTB' (#1 - #24) can be found at the very bottom of this page.]

Thursday, June 1, 2017

2017, JUNE 1: BATTLE OF THE BANDS (Or, CAB CALLOWAY VS. TINY TIM)

.'BATTLEOFTHEBANDS' ('BOTB').

.Yes, it's time once again for 'Battle Of The Bands' ('BOTB')..Alright, let's get on it. Let's get ON this thing!....NOTE: At the conclusion of this BOTB installment there will be a BOTBer's/Voter'sPoll, so please stick around for that..

EUGENE MARTONE VS. JACK BUTLER

.Today's song is about a deceased, opium-smoking prostitute. Sounds like a "downer", right? Not so fast! Not so fast! The song is actually presented as a tribute to a woman who... uh... "treated" all of her customers -- the rich & poor, handsome & ugly, strong & weak -- with the same attention. The song is a celebration of a woman who comforted so many lonely men that it is automatically assumed she went to Heaven. Ha!.I could find very little info on the song, but the "best guess" is that it was written by Benny Davis in 1936, and it may have been recorded only two times -- first by the legendary Cab Calloway, and secondly by the walking human encyclopedia of music and One-Hit Wonder, Mr. Tiny Tim..Alright, you ready for this ancient novelty Jazz song?.Question:Will Cab Calloway win this Battle?Magic 8-Ball sez:"Outlook Good".

.BOTBVOTER'SPOLL:This poll is for everyone -- whether you create your own BOTB contests or simply vote on the Battles that others put together. (I'm not sure that I personally have a dog in this fight, and I'm not sure how I will construct the algorithm to calculate the voting results, but I'll bet you didn't think I knew the word "algorithm", didja?).In the comment section of my last Battle, it was suggested by Debbie of 'The Doglady's Den', and seconded by two or three other folks, that perhaps BOTB should become a once-a-month Blogfest, occurring on the 15th of each month, rather than a bi-monthly Blogfest occurring on the 1st & 15th of every month..So, just to get a general idea of how both BOTBers and BOTB Voters feel about this, I promised to conduct this little poll. No one is necessarily saying the results of the poll will change things, but let's just get an overall view of this, whaddayasay?.So, when you cast your vote for Cab Calloway or Tiny Tim, I'm asking you to also cast a vote for either....1) Leave BOTB the way it is. Battles on the 1st and on the 15th. (Which still allows a BOTBer to post on one or both dates, as they see fit.).2) Make BOTB officially a once-a-month blogfest, occurring on the 15th (or the 1st of the month -- state your preference)..3) My Brother, Judge Al Bondigas, suggested a third option which I think is pretty interesting, if not outright brilliant: BOTBers will post Battles once-a-month, but about half of them will sign up to post on the 1st, and approximately another half promise to post on the 15th. This way, every two weeksthere are Battles to vote on, BUTindividual BOTBers are only obligated to post their own Battles once a month -- althoughtheywillallvoteonallBattles, whethertheyoccuronthe1storthe15th. (And to think that some folks falsely believe Nappy is all brawn and no brain!).So, which of the three options would be YOUROWN preference if you could be the benevolent BOTB DICTATOR? 1, 2, or 3?.Alright now, “you know the gig”... I welcome you (whether I know"you"or not) to vote for your favorite of these songs in the comment section below. And feel free to tell us WHY you chose one song over the other.After voting here, I suggest - actually I insist - you pop over to the blogs of the other 'BATTLE OF THE BANDS' participants to see which songs they have chosen and vote there also. (If their ‘BOTB’ blog bits aren’t posted yet, pour yourself two shots of ‘Grand Marnier’ over ice – do it twice – and then return to their blogs to vice your voice ...vote your vice ...voice your vote.)Voice Your Vote...

@ ‘TOSSINGITOUT’ by clicking HERE.@ ‘YOURDAILYDOSE’ by clicking HERE.@ 'MIKE'SRAMBLINGS' by clicking HERE.@ 'CURIOUSASACATHY' by clicking HERE.@ 'THESOUNDOFONEHANDTYPING' by clicking HERE@ 'JINGLEJANGLEJUNGLE' by clicking HERE.@ 'ANGELSBARK' by clicking HERE.@ 'THEDOGLADY'SDEN' by clicking HERE.As I've done in the past, I will continue to return to my 'BOTB' blog bits on the 7th and 21st of each month to post my own votes and announce the winners in the comment sections..~ Stephen T. McCarthy.

43 comments:

Between you and Mary this round, I've gathered a new appreciation for an artist (Tiny Tim) I misunderstood and previously didn't care too much for his style. Cab Calloway too mild for taste this morning but Tiny Tim blew his cover out of the park and stealing my vote. :)

I regards to the BoTB bi-monthly vs monthly blogfest schedule, I like things the way they are but at times it's too much. I know over the summer I was thinking about scaling back to once per month and maybe that's good for everyone. Blogosphere is like a ghost town until after Labor Day anyhow and this will give all of us regulars a break from the norm and re-energizing us for a come back late summer. This all being said I'm torn between voting options 1 & 2. #3 is totally out for me because I find if I don't participate then I'm more likely to forget to visit others doing it. Okay, I will cast my vote for #2 for the 15th of every month. But, what ever you decide then I'll be happy. Good battle. You and Mary made me curious to listen to more of Tiny Tim's stuff! :)

I'm later'n hell replying to these comments. I thought if I just waited long enough, ever'one would just go 'way. ​..."WRONG!"

Ha! I just jest.

Thanks for the vote, CATHY. Sorry for the late reply. Want the list of excuses? Send a self-addressed, stamped envelope and a money order for $6.66 to "Sickly J. McJerk" in Nowhereland, U.S.A.

Glad we could help you find a bit more respect for TINY TIM. His one hit was both a blessing and a curse, because it made everyone think that was the only kind of thing he could do. Most never discovered that he had a pretty outrageous baritone voice and some real musical instincts.

Tiny deserved more respect (and hits) than he got. He was something that very few artists today are: UNIQUE! A true original.

"Little information...Recorded only two times". No little wonder that I can't ever recall having heard this song ever in my life.. Interesting tune.

I like both versions, but Tim's version shows more flair and uniqueness. My vote goes to Tiny Tim.

AS for the poll:

1) I'd prefer things to stay the way they are, but mostly because I still have so many Battles lined up in waiting.

2) If things did go to once a month for everybody else, then I'd prefer the date of the 15th so it doesn't interfere with #IWSG which happens first Wed of each month. I'm not sure if anyone else in #BOTB participates, but a lot of my readers do. It tends to draw me more looks on those posts, but a lot of them don't vote either.

3) Optional either/or date is a good idea that would accommodate my needs very well and leave things open for those of us who enjoy the two posting dates. This is a very nice flexible idea.

4) Whichever way we go, I like the idea of having the official BOTB list at your site and you continuing to be the "host with the most". Besides this thing started as a "fest" at your site and works well that way and you can hang on to the laurels by staying as the official go to blog site. Maybe?

But I'm pretty flexible no matter what.

Oh, and did I say I'm voting for Tiny Tim? I guess I did, but I figured I'd say it again.

LEE ~I'm later'n hell replying to these comments. I thought if I just waited long enough, ever'one would just go 'way. ​​..."WRONG!"

Ha! I just jest.

Thanks for the vote. Sorry for the late reply. Want the list of excuses? Send a self-addressed, stamped envelope and a money order for $6.66 to "Sickly J. McJerk" in Nowhereland, U.S.A.

Seriously...

LEE, I remember years ago, on your blog you told the story of coming out of the tunnel from New Jersey, just entering New York City in the early morning fog, and seeing Tiny Tim walking alone along the road carrying his ukulele case. Man, I might have a few details wrong, but that story embedded itself in my mind instantly and I can actually see it in my imagination -- even if what I see is far from how it really looked.

Something about that mental imagery breaks my heart. That was a wonderful little story and I'll never forget it as long as I live, Brother!

I forgot to check the notify me box. I was wondering why you weren't getting any comments.

Yay! Don't want you leaving BOTB.

Uh, yeah, you did add some cool touches to my story. It was an image that will be among the last memories to leave me if they start doing that. It was kind of a lonely image, but in a way it gave me more of a thought of fitness to see Tiny Tim out for a walk. He didn't seem sad or anything like that to me. But the image is a good one to visualize.

That was a fun song! ☺ I had to access the alternate video for Tiny Tim. His vocals set my teeth on edge, but the arrangement was better than Cab's, IMO. Still, I'll have to vote for Cab Calloway, because his version is more 'listenable' (and doesn't make me grimace).

I'm going to go with # 2, post once a month on the 15th for the poll. The third option is interesting, but since there are only 8 of us left, not sure it's viable. Plus, if people don't have a post up, will they still visit the others? Regardless, as of July, I'm switching to once on the 15th, because there are other things I want to explore and posting in BOTB 4 times a month (including the results post) doesn't leave enough time. I hope that's okay with everyone.

DEBBIE ~I'm later'n hell replying to these comments. I thought if I just waited long enough, ever'one would just go 'way. ​​​..."WRONG!"

Ha! I just jest.

Thanks for the vote. Sorry for the late reply. Want the list of excuses? Send a self-addressed, stamped envelope and a money order for $6.66 to "Sickly J. McJerk" in Nowhereland, U.S.A.

OK, I think I've now officially worn out that Intro.

I wish you could have heard the studio version by Tiny Tim. In the live version, he definitely plays up the falsetto more and kind of takes the song further out to the edge (of some people's teeth). I think you'd have liked the more subdued studio version better.

However, I'll also admit that I was secretly worried that Tiny Tim might win by shutout in this Battle. I figured Cab Calloway's best chances of scoring a couple votes would come from the two Canadian voters who would need to vote according to Tiny's live version, rather than his studio one.

So... I'm pleased as Spiked Punch to see Cab get a vote, even if it may be a result of Tiny's studio recording being unavailable.

Got yer poll vote recorded, and things are definitely more than leaning in the direction of BOTB: Once-A-Month, on the 15th day.

I'm glad that you picked a song that shows off Tiny Tim's regular voice. I have a feeling he is going to win this one for you as well!

I'm casting my vote for Tiny Tim.

Now, for the poll.

I'm casting my vote for option #2, with the battles happening on the 15th. I think if we go with option #3 (one battle a month, posting on either the 1st or the 15th) people will forget to participate. having a set time frame is a better option, in my opinion. Plus, it's easier for my record keeping ;)

I would certainly hate to see you stop altogether, but dropping to just once a month will be a viable solution to dealing with burnout.

MARY, MARY, QUITE EXTRAORDINARY ~I could think of some Tiny Tim songs which feature his falsetto more, and that would still have a good chance of winning a BOTB contest. But I agree, his rich baritone -- which few folks even know existed -- is his most accessible sound and also what I like best.

This was a lot of fun, and I thank you for joining "Team Tiny" with me for this Battle. I think we've really got some people re-thinking their "Tiny Hate".

MMQE, the way this poll has been going, it seems an almost unanimous decision to make BOTB a once-a-month blogfest, occurring on the 15th. And if those polling results hold 'til the end, then I ain't goin' nowhere. (Maybe I should have warned the voters about that possibility in the Poll announcement, eh?;^)

I certainly hope that the poll continues to lean the way it is. You're not using electoral voting system are you, by chance? I truly believe you will be happier with once a month battling.

Because if you go away altogether... not only will I be tremendously sad, but I may have to call in a few favors from friends who are nearby po-dunk Reno to pay you a visit, rough you up a bit, and possibly make you watch them drink all your drank. (surely, that's not too dramatic!)

I would suggest a break, but as I have told many before you.. taking a break from blogging (or battles as the case may be) is a lot like missing church. The more you miss, the harder it is to come back and the easier it is to stay away.

Speaking of breaks - have you heard from Ms Robin recently? no posts since May 15 battle. I do hope that all is alright in her household and with her mother.

MMQE ~I am abbalouly using the Electoral College in tabulating the outcome of our poll. Without that, we'd get stuck with Killary Klinton. No, ma'am, that's not gonna happen -- not on MY watch!

Podunk Reno, eh? Or as I like to call it: Re(no)tard. YIKES!

You gots dangerous friends. Rocco can drink his weight in wine; Bruno has a belly like a beer keg... and there's a reason for that!

There's another downside to taking a break from blogging: When I walked away from my 'Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends' blog, my readers simply did not return when I did. My blogging popularity has never recovered from that, and likely never will.

I hear that Robin is alright. I think maybe she's just a little mad at me. (Given enough time, ALL women will eventually get mad at me. I've seen it happen before.)

Hey Stephen,Well, I'm blown away that I'm voting for Tiny Tim twice today! I never knew he sang in any other register than the falsetto because I really only knew him through Tiptoe Through the Tulips. I went and read a little about him and his life and have a new appreciation of him. So my vote goes to Tiny.

And Frisco Flo is a very cool song! I love the horns especially at the beginning of Tiny Tim's version. Love me some brass!

As for the BOTB poll, I'm voting for #2. I really like the idea of doing the battles just once a month. It's more manageable for me. I don't know that option #3 would be effective as far as participation goes, for the reasons that others have stated. And I'm with Debbie: regardless of the poll results, I think I'm going to scale back to once a month anyway, on the 15th.

Fun battle Stephen. I thank you and Mary for broadening my tiny horizon...

Did you know there is a bar in Reno that won't serve any drink unless the name of it begins with the letter "M"?

The first time I went in there, I ordered a "White Russian". And the bartender told me he could serve me a drink that included Kahlua or Vodka, but it had to start with "M". I was more interested in the Kahlua than the Vodka, so I ordered a "Mudslide", and got a good one!

The next time I went in there, I ordered a Coors beer and got the same sorta reply from a different bartender. I wound up drinking a Miller beer.

Months later, I had no trouble getting a Margarita there, and a Mojito there.

But sometime later, I was in that same bar, and I was in the mood for a "Bloody Beer" -- you know what that is, right? Beer and Tomato Juice.

But the bartender REFUSED to make me that. Then I suddenly had a brainstorm idea and I said, "Bartender, I've changed my mind. I don't want a Bloody Beer after all. But I'd love a... 'MICHELADA'." He brought me a great one within minutes!

You can't get a "Bloody Mary" at this bar. But you CAN get an A-List, E-Ticket Bloody Mary if you tell the man behind the bar, "I'll have a Mary, please".

What's up with that?!

Now, having said all that, I'm sorry to tell you that you can't vote for Tiny Tim. Nor can you vote for Cab Calloway.

Cab Calloway is fun to watch, that's for certain, and he makes some good music, but it loses something without the visual aspect. In this case, the extended instrumental introduction, during which Cab would normally be undulating and dancing to the delight of his listeners, seems to go on too long. I quite enjoyed Tiny Tim's version of the song; he was a much better artist than people gave him credit for, and it's been good this round hearing a couple of examples of him doing songs other than "Tiptoe Thru The Tulips." So, for the second time today, my vote is for Tiny Tim. Now, had there been film of Cab singing and undulating, or better yet a Max Fleischer cartoon that went along with the song, the result might have been different...

JOHN ~I'm pleased as Spiked Punch that you liked the song. (Me too, obviously.)

And I totally get where you're coming from on the "Cab Calloway visuals". And the Max Fleischer cartoon, too. (Even though I'm more of a Tex Avery man, myself. But at least we have the "x" in common.)

Got yer BOTB vote recorded. But what happened to your vote in the poll? This will NOT do! I want your 0.02 cents (0.02 opinions) this time.

I'm not sure if you follow these comments via Email, but just in case you don't, expect me to visit your BOTB for a 0.02 time and call you on the carpet for neglecting PART 0.02 of this BOTB questionnaire. See ya soon, John. Be ready... I'm armed and dangerous (and maybe a little drunk, too -- so... WATCH OUT!)

Okay... I vote #1. I'll probably end up doing this twice a month regardless, unless I decide to add a new feature, "GO STAND IN THE CORNER!," to the usual roster of favorites. And even then, who knows?

SIXGUNBOY ~First of all, I want to thank you for your continued support of my Battles.

Secondly, I'm pretty thrilled that CAB CALLOWAY got another vote -- and one in which the Tiny Tim STUDIO recording was considered in the contest.

BUT... I gotta Q 4 U:I'm always the first to say that my... MATH sux! And yet, even as bad as my math is, your vote somehow doesn't seem to "add up" to me. I'm sure it makes sense on some level, but I like to know all the details, all the facts that lead up to a conclusion. (Without the facts, how would I know that the US Government was responsible for 9/11; that no children died at Sandy Hook; that no bomb went off at the Boston Marathon; that no man ever walked on the Moon and lived to tell about it?)

So... you wrote:

>>... "The voices seem somewhat similar, with the exception of Tim's excursion into falsetto right as the song ends. The orchestration is better in TT's version."

If the vocals are similar, but Tiny Tim's orchestration is better, why did you vote for Cab? Is it because "Tim's excursion into falsetto right as the song ends" HURT his recording MORE than the better orchestration HELPED it?

Just trying to understand this "musical divide". Or... I don't get the "math" here, even with a calculator.

You don't get the math here because I left out the bulk of the equation. And it is a long equation. I can see why my remark that Cab's and Tim's vocals are similar would be confusing without additional comment. The DO sound similar... but not exactly, and I like Cab's voice better. (That's +1 point for Cab.)

Yes, TT's orchestration is better. (That's -1 point.)

I love the "vintage" quality that Cab's version brings over the more modern production sound of TT's. (That's Cab up 1 point.) And YES, the leap into the stratosphere by TT at the end hurts him... MORE than just 1 point. That's -2 more for TT, or Cab is now +3 overall for the win.

You have shown me some things that Tiny has done that are remarkable, and I voted for him in the past on something... was it against Cheese?? But on this song after listening a couple of times, Cab wins it.

OH: before I felt that since I'm not blogging I should abstain from voting on a revised blogging schedule for BoTB'ers. I've reconsidered and (in the spirit of the times) I vote that you should all spend more of YOUR time entertaining me by blogging music battles ONCE PER WEEK. This is not a suggestion yet mentioned, but it is such a fine one I know it will receive popular support both from the people and from the 9th Circuit Court. So get writing, and be grateful I do not demand it twice a week.

SHEBOYGANBOY ~Thanks for returnin' and 'splainin' yourse'f. (I'm relieved to find the previously hidden math adds up. I was a-feared maybe you were votin' Cab for the sole reason that you knew I'd be votin' Tiny. Glad it ain't that.)

I'm sure your vote in the poll will be very popular with everyone. (Get a rope!!!)

Well, this battle surprised me in how tough it was to make a decision on this. I expected Tiny Tim to be more like his Tip-toe through the Tulips song. I was impressed by both version. But suprisingly I'm picking Tiny Tim. I had written him off before I listened to the song but that's my choice.

In regards to the Poll....that's a tough one too. I'll say number 2 on the 1st (easier to remember for old folks like me...or is that easier to forget?) Now do somethin!You heard him!Pooh

[I'll bet you didn't even get that Van Morrison reference, did you, you sober sumbich!]

Kiddin', Kiddin'!

Have you seen the documentary 'DOGTOWN AND Z-BOYS'? If not, you need to get ON that thang! Man, so many of our old places are shown. (Ever heard of "Bay Street"? "Bicknell Hill"? "Beethoven Market"?)

POOH (and that's NO "Boo!"), thanks so much for the vote in both the BOTB contest AND the Poll!

Your participation in this blogfest is ALWAYS sincerely appreciated. Even when Nappy makes fun of you... and forces me to go along with his mocking of you because... you know... "Nappy". ...YOU gonna stand up against him? Because I sure as hell ain't!![;^)}

Cab gets my vote brought cartoon images to my mind. Leave the Battles as they are, sorry you gotta stay. JK, you gotta do what you need to do but you will be missed. If it was to be consolidated the 15th would probably be the best.

Hi Stephen, I skipped ahead and went straight to Tiny Tim. As I was listening, I couldn't help but think what was Stephen smoking when he chose to play this song? Then I backtracked and read that it was about "an opium smoking deceased prostitute." Makes perfect sense. Tiny Tim gets my vote, as it was refreshing not to hear him Tip-Toe Through the Tulips in falsetto. You get an A+ for creativity, my friend!

The third plan sounds good for BOTB, but I might need the extra 15 days to catch up!

I know you love Tiny Tim but I just can't take his warbly, singing style and then his whoops and other bizarre parts so my vote goes to the great Cab Calloway. Even though I just vote and not participate, I vote for #2 and hope you will still be a part of it if it's once per month. You give such unique BOTB and I hope you will continue

BIRGIT ~My sincere thanks for your continued support of BOTB. And for your vote for Cab Calloway.

If BOTB goes to once-a-month -- which right now seems largely to be the preferred choice among voters -- then I will indeed remain a part of it.

My only real reason for considering leaving was time constraints: I have two other blogs that I want to devote more attention to. But I could certainly manage one Battle per month without it affecting my two other blogs.

First off, this was a way harder battle than I anticipated. I guess I'm glad I put it off until the last day, because I'm still deciding up till this moment which I like better.

I know you're a big Tiny Tim fan, and I don't dislike him, but he's never really been 'my thang'. But he does really well with this song. I love his voice. His vibrato really fits in perfectly.

Cab's voice doesn't do much for me. I do like the instrumentation in his a bit more, though. I guess what it comes down to is great instrumentation and okay voice vs pretty good instrumentation and great voice.

So give my vote to Tiny Tim.

As for BOTB, I'm the least qualified to answer this, but I also like #2. As I said before, I appreciate that you're working on your other blogs, which I do want to see more. But that doesn't mean I don't ever want to see BOTB again. Just scale it back a bit, I say.

---> NOTE: COMMENT MODERATION IS ACTIVATED. <---All submitted comments that do not transgress "Ye Olde Comment Policy" will be posted and responded to as soon as possible. Thanks for taking the time to comment.

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STEPHEN = The first person known to have been martyred because of their personal testimony of Jesus Christ (Acts 6-7). My foremost allegiance is to my Holy King, Jesus, who has been given all authority in Heaven and on Earth, and to His God who bestowed it upon Him (Matt. 28:18; John 20:17). ----- T. = Thoreau, as in Henry David Thoreau, the writer and staunch abolitionist who, in 1849, penned the classic essay 'Civil Disobedience' wherein he wrote: "I cannot for an instant recognize that political organization as my government which is the slave's government also." I abhor slavery and injustice in all of their forms! ----- McCARTHY = The Wisconsin Senator, Joseph McCarthy, one of America's greatest heroes, and the most unjustly vilified individual in our country's history! His unappreciated, rebuffed efforts to expose Communist infiltration of our government transformed this embattled man's name into a pejorative catchword: McCarthyism. If you still believe that Joseph McCarthy was the most evil American of the Twentieth Century, educate yourself today. Go to... http://www.knology.net/~bilrum/mccarthy.htm ...and see how you've been misled.